Consumers demand web 2.0 widgets from banks!

Read Write Web reports on a survey recently performed by Worklight, a company specializing in web 2.0 services, regarding online banking. The survey of Facebook users found that 48% of them would make use of online widgets to manage finances if their bank offered the service. A more detailed response goes on to show that the most likely group to use these would be males in the 25-34 year old range. The use of online widgets to perform banking tasks or track spending levels have not been widely used to date due to security and compatibility issues.

Web 2.0 is a rather loose term which many people associate with social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook but in reality it can be used to describe tools which ease the flow of information as well as allow you to access it on a variety of devices. Ideally, users could take advantage of these web 2.0 widgets to track the balances of their checking, savings, and retirement accounts, all on one page, all while also viewing the amount due on any outstanding credit cards, student loans or mortgage payments. Right now you can achieve this one screen approach only with a dedicated program and the time it takes to constantly update the information.I fit nicely into the 25 year old male demographic and surprise surprise, I would switch banks and transfer loans in a second if it meant I could securely view all of my financial information on one screen. This would be especially great if I could literally use any screen, from my phone to my laptop, so long as I had a stable Internet connection. I shared in an earlier post that I am a fan of credit unions for their customer service, but not their online banking. Adding a tool like this to their arsenal would make it much easier to stick with them as the big banks roll out shinier and more user friendly online banking tools.

What do you think about online banking widgets? Would you make use of a widget to add to your startup screen? Or are you more apt to sharing your account balance on your Facebook profile, much like some people flaunt fancy cars?